Drawbolts for luggage



April 8, 1958 M. P. KOCH DRAWBOLTS FOR LUGGAGE Filed May 29. 1956 I AT-TOENE K INVENTOR. fifnuelcE 1? [60a United States Patent -O 2,829,912 DRAWBOLTS FOR LUGGAGE Maurice P. Koch, San Francisco, Calif. Application May 29, 1956, Serial No. 588,170 7 Claims. (Cl. 292114) This invention relates to a drawbolt for luggage.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a drawbolt to hold the bottom and cover of the luggage together, and which is locked against accidental loosening; and which requires minimum effort for drawing the parts of the luggage together or releasing the same.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction thereof without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following specification, and as defined in the following claims; hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the said device and parts as described in the said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With the foregoing andother objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for the illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmental sectional view of the portion of the luggage with a partly sectional view of drawbolt in open position, constructed in accordance with the herein invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the outline of the drawbolt in drawn or locked position.

Fig. 3 is a partly fragmental sectional view showing the drawbolt in position just before its engagement for drawing the luggage sections together.

Fig. 4 is a partly sectional and fragmental View showing the drawbolt in drawn or locked position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the drawbolt in locked position the section being taken on lines 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

' Fig. 6 is a top view of the drawbolt in locked position, the portion thereof being broken away horizontally so as to expose the interior structure of the same.

In the illustrative embodiment of my invention a keeper or strike plate 1 is secured to the edge of one part or section 2 of the luggage by rivets 3 or the like.

To the other section 4 of the luggage opposite the strike plate 1 is secured a base plate 6 from which extend up wardly a pair of ears 7. A pivot pin 8 is journalled in the ears 7. A link 9 is formed generally of U-shape cross-section and has its opposite sides 11 terminate in cars 12 matching the ears 7 of the base plate 6 and fitting therebetween so as to be journalled on the aforementioned pin 8.

A coil spring 13 around the pin 8 bears at one end there' of against the base plate 6 and the other end thereof against the end of the link 9 above said link ears 12 so as to normally urge the free end of the link 9 toward the base plate 6, in a clock-wise direction viewing Fig. 1. The longitudinal edges of the link sides 11 incline toward the straight top14 of the link 9 and toward said free end 2,829,912 Patented, Apr. 8, 1958 tends another pin 17 around which latter is wound another coil spring 18. One end of the coil spring 18 bears against the adjacent portion of the link 9. The other end of the spring 18 bears against the adjacent corner and end wall 19 of a latch cover 21, was to normally urge the end 18 of the latch cover downwardly toward the base plate 6, in clockwise direction viewing Fig. l.

The latch cover 21 has a top 22, an inwardly inclined front or striker wall 23, and opposite sides 24 so as to completely enclose and cover the entire latch mechanism in closed position. The pin 17 extends through the adjacent parts of the side walls 24 so that the cover 21 is pivoted on the pin 17 and it is normally urged to turn in a clockwise direction shown in Fig. l.

The link top 14 has an olfset or inclined bearing tongue 26 at its end extended beyond the lugs 16. The tongue 26 bears against the underside of the top 22 of the cover 21 establishing a coacting relationship of these elements. The striker wall 23 and the lifting end 19 of the cover 21 converge toward the base plate 6 and toward one another.

On the underside of the top 22 of the cover 21 is an angular bufier plate 27 for the purpose of limiting the closing movement of the cover 21 by striking the top of the strike plate 1. The strike plate is curved and dished so that its concave side faces toward the base plate 6.

In operation the cover 21 is lifted by placing the hand or finger into the outer dished concave face of the end wall 19 and exerting an upward pull on the end 19. This pivots the. cover 21 about the pins 17 and 8 downwardly and over the strike plate 1, which latter is curved with its concave side facing toward the base plate 6 to facilitate engagement by the striking wall 23 of the cover 21. Then by releasing the cover 21 gradually and exerting downward pressure on the top corner of the end wall 19, the cover 21 draws the strike plate 1 and the base plate 6 and I the respective luggage sections together into the position shown in Fig. 4, until the link pivot 17 is below the level of the axis of the pivot pin 8 so that both coil springs function to hold the cover 21 closed.

In order to disengage or release the latch, the finger of the user is placed under the concave face of the end wall and then enlarge into lugs 16. Through the lugs 16 ex- 1 19 and this end is lifted upwardly until the pivot 17 is abovethe level of the pivot 8 so" as to swing the entire cover 21 into the position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon by releasing the end wall 19 the coil springs action is released to snap the cover off the strike plate 1 and into e position shown in Fig. l.

I claim:

1. In a drawbolt device for luggage having two sections with generally aligned faces at the meeting edges of said sections,-a striker plate projecting outwardly from the face of one of said sections near said meeting edges, a base plate secured to the face of the other of said sections near said meeting edges and generally opposite to said striker plate, a hollow drawbolt cover including longitudinal sides, a striker wall at its end adjacent said striker plate and a handle wall at its other end adjacent said base, said cover being adapted to cover said striker plate and said base when engaged with said striker plate; a toggle link journalled on said base plate and extended toward the handle wall of said cover, a pivotal connection between said toggle link and the sides of said cover near said handle Wall, a spring about the journal of said toggle link biased so as to urge said link normally toward the face of said other section adjacent said base plate, and a spring at said pivotal connection to urge the handle wall end of said cover toward said face of said other section about said pivotal connection as a fulcrum; in the closed position of the device said fulcrum-being .the face of one of said closer to the adjacent face of said other section than the journal center of the toggle link.

2. In a drawbolt device for luggage having two sections with generally aligned faces at the meeting edges of said-sections, a striker plate projecting outwardly from sections near said meeting edges,

a base plate secured to the face of the other of said sections near said meeting edges and generally opposite to said handle wall, a spring about the journal of said toggle link biased so as to urge said link normally toward the face of said other section adjacent saidfbase plate, and a spring at said pivotal connection to urge the handle wall end of said cover toward said face of said other section about said pivotal connection as a fulcrum; in the closed position of the device said fulcrum being closer'to the adjacent face of said other section than the journal center of the toggle link, the said striker plate being curved so that its concave side faces toward said base plate and its convex face is engaged by said striker wall of said cover.

3. In a drawbolt device for luggage having two sections with generally aligned faces at the meeting edges of said sections, a striker plate projecting outwardly from the face of one of said sections near said meeting edges, .a base plate secured to the face of the other of said sections near said meeting edges and generally opposite to said striker plate, a hollow drawbolt cover including longitudinal sides, a striker wall at its. end adjacent said striker plate and awhan'dle wall at its other end adjacent said base, said cover being adapted to cover said striker plate and said base when engaged with said striker plate; a toggle link journalled on said base plate and extended toward the handle wall of said cover, a pivotal connection between said toggle link and the sides of said cover near said handle wall, a spring about the journal of said toggle link biased so as to urge said link normally toward the face of said other section adjacent said base plate, and a spring at said pivotal connection to urge the handle wall end of said cover toward said face of said other section about said pivotal connection as a fulcrum; in the closed position of the device said fulcrum being closer to the adjacent face of said other section than the journal center of the toggle lin the said striker plate being curved so that its concave side faces toward said base plate and its convex face is engaged by said striker wall of saidcover, the said striker wall and handle wall being convergent toward their free edges.

4. In a drawbolt device for luggage having two sections with generally aligned faces at the meeting edges of said sections, a striker plate projecting outwardly from the face of one of said sections .near said meeting edges, a base plate secured to the face of the other of said sections near said meeting edges and generally opposite to said striker plate, a hollow drawbolt cover including longitudinal sides, a striker wall at its end adjacent said striker plate and a handle wall at its other end adjacent said base, said cover being adapted to cover said striker plate and said base when engaged with said striker plate; a toggle link journalled on said base plate and extended toward the handle wall of said cover, a pivotal connection between said toggle link and the sides of said cover near said handle wall, a spring about the journal of said toggle link biased so as to urge said link normally toward the face of said other section ad jacent said base plate, and a spring at said pivotal connection to urge the handle wall end of. said cover toward said face of said other section about said pivotal conassume nection as a fulcrum; in the closed position of the device said fulcrum being closer to the adjacent face of said other section than the journal center of the toggle link, the said striker plate being curved so that its concave side faces toward said base plate and its convex face is engaged by said striker wall of said cover the said striker wall and handle wall being convergent toward their free edges, and said handle wall being dished inwardly of the cover so as to provide an engagement recess for manipulation.

5. In a drawbolt device for luggage having two sections with generally aligned faces at the meeting edges of said sections, a striker plate projecting outwardly from the face of one of said sections near said meeting edges, a base plate secured to the face of the other of said sections near said meeting edges and generally opposite to said striker plate, a hollow drawbolt cover including longitudinal sides,-a strikerwall at its end adjacent said striker plate and a handle wall at its other end adjacent said base, said cover being adapted to cover said striker plateand said base when engaged with said striker plate; a toggle link journalled on said base plate and extended toward the handle wall of said cover, a pivotal connection between said toggle link and the sides of said cover near said handle wall, a spring about the journal of said toggle link biased so as to urge said link normally toward the face of said other section adjacent said base plate, andaspring at said pivotal connection to urge the handle wall-end of said cover toward said face of said other section about said pivotal connection as a fulcrum; in the closed position of the device said fulcrum being closer to the adjacent face of said other section than the journal center of the toggle link, the said striker plate being curved so that its concave side faces toward said base plate and its convex face is engaged by said striker wall-of said cover, and a transverse abutment projection inside and across said cover having an inclined side for engagement with the inside top edge of said striker plate for determining the engagement between said striker wall and said striker plate.

6. Ina drawbolt device for luggage having two sections with generally aligned faces at the meeting edges of said sections, a striker plate projecting outwardly from the face of one of said sections near said meeting edges, a base plate secured to the face of the other of said sections near said meeting edges and generally opposite to said striker plate, a hollow drawbolt cover including longitudinal sides, a striker wall at its end adjacent said striker plate and a handle wall at its other end adjacent said base, said cover being adapted to cover said striker plate and said base when engaged with said striker plate; a toggle link journalled on said base plate and extended toward the handle wall of said cover, a pivotal connection between said toggle link and the sides of said cover near said handle wall, a spring about the journal of said toggle link biased so as to urge said link normally toward the face of said other section adjacent said base plate, and a spring at said pivotal connection to urge the handle wall end of said cover toward said face of said other section about said pivotal connection as a fulcrum; in the closed position of the device said fulcrum being closer to the adjacent face of said other section than the journal center of the toggle link, the said striker plate being curved so that its concave side facesto'ward said base plate and its.convex face is engaged by said striker wall of said cover, said base having a pair of bearing lugs projecting therefrom, a pivot in said bearing lugs forming the journal for said toggle link, said spring about said journal being a coil spring, one end of which bears against said base plate and theother end of which bears against the adjacent end of said toggle link so as to urge said toggle link to turn in the generalgdirection toward the handle wall end of said cover; said spring about said pivotal connection 'being' a coil spring bearing against the adjacent end of saidtoggle link and against said handle end so as to urge said handle end normally toward the face of said other section.

7. In a drawbolt device for luggage having two sections with generally aligned faces at the meeting edges of said sections, a striker plate projecting outwardly from the face of one of said sections near said meeting edges, a base plate secured to the face of the other of said sections near said meeting edges and generally opposite to said striker plate, a hollow drawbolt cover including longi tudinal sides, a striker wall at its end adjacent said striker plate and a handle wall at its other end adjacent said base, said cover being adapted to cover said striker plate and said base toggle link journalled on said base plate and extended toward the handle wall of said cover, a pivotal connection between said toggle link and the sides of said cover near said handle wall, a spring about the journal of said toggle link biased so as to urge said link normally toward the face of said other section adjacent said base plate, and a spring at said pivotal connection to urge the handle wall end of said cover toward said face of said other section about said pivotal connection as a fulcrum; in the closed position of the device said fulcrum being closer to the adjacent face of said other section than the journal center of the toggle link, said striker plate being curved so that its concave side faces toward said base plate and its convex face is engaged by said striker wall when engaged with said striker plate; a V

of said cover, said base having a pair of bearing lugs projecting therefrom, a pivot in said bearing lugs forming the journal for said toggle link, said spring about said journal being a coil spring, one end of which bears against said base plate and the other end of which bears against the adjacent end of said toggle link so as to urge said toggle link to turn in the general direction toward the handle wall end of said cover; said spring about said pivotal connection being a coil spring bearing against the adjacent end of said toggle link and against said handle end so as to urge said handle end normally toward the face of said other section, said toggle link having a finger extension adapted to bear against the underside of said cover generally between said fulcrum and said handle wall when said cover is in disengaged position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

